The Department of Justice announced a new suit against six blue states Tuesday over access to voter roll data. (Getty Images)
According to the DOJ, the agency formally requested each state’s current, statewide voter registration roll and did not receive the required records. In each lawsuit, the department argues that Congress gave the attorney general clear authority to demand the production, inspection, and analysis of voter registration data to ensure compliance with federal law.
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the Civil Rights Division, said the department is escalating enforcement efforts ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
"Our federal elections laws ensure every American citizen may vote freely and fairly," Dhillon said. "States that continue to defy federal voting laws interfere with our mission of ensuring that Americans have accurate voter lists as they go to the polls, that every vote counts equally, and that all voters have confidence in election results. At this Department of Justice, we will not stand for this open defiance of federal civil rights laws."
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The Justice Department filed lawsuits against six blue states: Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, accusing them of violating federal law by refusing to provide statewide voter registration rolls upon request. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
Federal officials have increasingly pressed states on voter roll compliance issues in recent years, arguing that transparency around registration lists is essential to maintaining accurate records, preventing administrative errors and ensuring voters have confidence in election outcomes. The DOJ says the six states named in these new suits have repeatedly failed to meet the department’s requests.
The cases will now move forward in federal court, where judges could order the states to turn over the voter lists, impose compliance deadlines, or issue injunctions requiring adherence to federal law.
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Election law disputes over voter roll access and maintenance have escalated nationwide as states prepare for the 2026 midterms and the DOJ’s latest actions show an aggressive legal posture toward states that fail to meet federal disclosure rules.
The department says it will "continue filing proactive election integrity litigation until states comply," and has left open the possibility of additional lawsuits.
Jasmine Baehr is a Breaking News Writer for Fox News Digital, where she covers politics, the military, faith and culture.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/doj-sues-six-states-refusing-turn-over-voter-registration-rolls-warns-open-defiance-federal-law